how_i_met_your_motherfandomcom-20200223-history
Benefits
Recap Ted and Robin argue over their untidy habits getting in the way of being roommates. They stop when Robin points out that they didn't drive each other this crazy when they were dating, and suspects it was the sex that distracted them from this. They initially laugh it off, but end up sleeping together to deal with the situation. Marshall catches them the next morning while he's using Ted's bathroom to read magazines. Marshall admits he was there as he cannot use the work toilet, because his coworkers judge him. Marshall blackmails Ted and Robin: he won't tell Lily and Barney about their sex, provided he can continue to use their bathroom, but gives in and tells about it. Lily angrily refutes that in when two exes try to be friends with benefits, someone always gets hurt. Barney promptly breaks a television outside MacLaren's to vent his anger. When Marshall confides in his work problem, Barney says that he "reads a magazine" at work all the time, but he then asks for affirmation that they are talking about masturbation. After overhearing some co-workers talk of an abandoned eighth floor in the workplace, Marshall goes into the eighth floor bathroom to read his magazines in peace. Meanwhile, every time Robin and Ted have sex after an argument, it leads to Barney breaking more televisions, and when out of televisions, buying more to smash, causing Lily to get concerned over his feelings for Robin, which he continuously denies. Ted and Robin's arrangement hits a snag when they accidentally kiss each other goodbye on Ted's way out, an old reflex when they were together, and decide to bring it to an end, but this lasts less than a day. Marshall again catches them, as it is revealed that construction workers have destroyed the eighth floor and the bathroom he was using. Barney solves all of Ted and Robin's household problems to ensure they have no reason to have sex. Ted realizes that Barney loves Robin. Barney denies it, but later tells Lily about his heartbreak in front of her kindergarten class. Marshall decides not to be ashamed about using the bathroom at work and finds that his colleagues' attitude towards him changes. He relays his new-found confidence to Barney who finds it as motivation to tell Ted that he is in love with Robin. Barney tells Marshall that he can use his private bathroom. When Barney arrives at the apartment to tell Ted he loves Robin, he stops when she finds her taking out the trash. She relays Ted's ending of casual sex to Barney, and thinks Ted was afraid of getting hurt because he's too romantic. Barney confesses, saying "I love you" to Robin. Robin misunderstands and thinks he is imitating Ted. They go together for a meal, while Barney doesn't correct her. As the gang hang out at McLaren's, Future Ted relays Lily's advice on someone getting hurt when two exes try to be friends with benefits, but notes that it wasn't him or Robin. Barney gazes at Robin while she is laughing, and looks to Ted, who is okay with Barney's feelings for Robin. Continuity *When Robin misspells "weird" and Lily corrects her, Robin tells her that "no-one likes a Ted". Ted's annoying habit of correcting people was first pointed out in . *Robin and Ted salute after Robin tells Lily and Marshall that their casually sleeping together is a "private thing". They started doing this as a joke when they were dating, as mentioned in . *Ted recalls Barney mentioning that he discussed his theory on world peace with "Madeleine", referring to Madeleine Albright, whom he mentions sleeping with in . *Ted realizes that Barney has feelings for Robin, which Barney told Lily about in *The song heard in the background at MacLaren's when Barney tells his theory of sex solving all disputes is the same that plays in as Ted recites the similarities of love starting and ending. Future References (Contains Spoilers). *Barney gets jealous when other guys hook up with Robin again in and . *One of the issues Ted and Robin argue about is her leaving empty milk cartons in the fridge. In , she tells Ted she does it to remind them to buy milk when he admits that it's why he wants Robin to move in with Don, who, as it turns out, appreciates it. *Marshall reading magazines is pointed out again in , where he admits to Robin that he reads Cosmo Girl magazines. Gallery Benefits - marshalls discovery.png|Marshall discovers Ted and Robin in bed benefits - barney pours his heart out.png|Barney pours his heart out to Lily's kindergarten class Benefits 1.jpg Benefits - barney pours his heart out.png fwb1.jpg fwb2.jpg Memorable Quotes Notes and Trivia Goofs and Errors *Lily suggests that Barney goes to see a psychologist, however, in , he references a shrink named Dr. Grossbar, implying that he is already seeking psychological help. But in , Dr. Grossbar is mentioned again in reference to Barney's cholesterol. *At the end of the episode Barney and Robin go out to eat tacos, but as seen in he doesn't like Mexican food. However, it is likely Barney just said the first word that came to his mind as he panicked seeing Robin. *Marshall caught Robin and Ted during their first time having casual sex, however later at the bar Robin says she was returning phone calls last night while she and Ted were having sex with Marshall's being one of them. * When we see Barney use Lily's kindergarten class as his own private therapy office he lights a cigarette and exasperates "...and now I'm smoking" however in the following camera-cuts the cigarette is not lit, even when he "inhales" no smoke is followed. Allusions and Outside References *The magazine that Marshall takes with him to read in the restroom is called Them Weekly, a reference to the celebrity gossip magazine . *When pointing out how messy Robin is Ted compares her to Ogre from . *Barney told Ted and clean other bros' houses, when he was cleaning so Ted and Robin wouldn't fight. *Ted refers to . Music *No More Wishing - Other Notes *While cleaning Ted's apartment, Barney gives Ted 10,000 postage stamps. In January 2009, when this episode aired, the price of a stamp in the US was $0.42. Barney spent $4,200.00 on stamps for Ted. **Although it is possible that 10,000 was a figure of speech, because the stamp pack didn't seem large enough to have that much stamps. 1,000 seems to be a fairer estimation, so instead of $4,200 Barney spent $420. **Barney could also have more stamps somewhere else in the apartment where Ted could find them and used one pack to convey his generosity. *The T-shirt Ted is wearing when Robin and he first decide to have sex is from AC/DC's Highway to Hell tour in Japan - presumably something she brought back. Although the front is all in Japanese the city Osaka is in English on the back. *When Marshall says "to read a magazine" he is referring to reading one while relieving himself in the toilet. However, Barney misunderstands it as an euphemism for masturbation. Guests *Bryan Callen - Bilson * - Herself * - Herself * - Himself * - Herself *Ambrit Millhouse - Jill *Kevin Kirkpatrick - Don * - Clerk *Ethan Dizon - Ben *Gary Anthony Williams - Reginald Reception * Donna Bowman of gave the episode an A- grade. http://www.avclub.com/articles/benefits,22237/ * Michelle Zoromski of gave the episode 8.5 out of 10. http://tv.ign.com/articles/944/944578p1.html * Cindy McLennan of gave the episode an B grade. http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/show/how_i_met_your_mother/benefits_1.php * The St. Petersburg Comic Review gave this episode 8 out of 10 stars. "Good episode, but too much like Seinfeld's 'The Deal' (they set up ground rules) and 'The Mango' (they have sex to save the friendship)." References External Links * * * Category:Episodes Category:Season 4